On Thursday, Sept. 5, the Fordham University Rose Hill United Student Government (USG) met to discuss plans for the new school year and conduct special elections.
Executive Vice President Eron Maltzman, GSB ’25, began the meeting by conducting special elections for open senate positions: two seats for the Gabelli School of Business (GSB) Class of 2025, one seat for Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) Class of 2025, one swing seat for the Class of 2025, two seats for FCRH Class of 2026, one seat for GSB Class of 2026 and one seat for vice president of Facilities and Dining.
Jude Ortega, FCRH ’25, and Sara Plomondon, FCRH ’25, both presented their campaigns for the FCRH Class of ’25 special elections. Ortega stated that he has seen more students joining identity-based organizations such as Fordham’s Philippine American Club, not just for cultural reasons, but because they feel a lack of community elsewhere on campus. He plans to work on inclusivity initiatives. Plomondon explained that she learned how to effectively communicate with the Fordham administration during her four years of experience on the Campus Activities Board (CAB) executive board. She emphasized concerns about the lack of communication and transparency between the administration and students. Both were elected as FCRH 2025 senators. Kabir Patel, GSB ’26, presented his campaign for the GSB Class of ’26 special election. He emphasized the importance of establishing a connection between Fordham students and the Bronx and was elected as a GSB 2026 senator. The other seats remain open.
Maltzman gave an update on Senate elections for the Class of 2028. Across three informational sessions, 17 candidates have attended. A mandatory meeting was held on Friday, Sept. 6, and Meet the Candidates night will be on Friday, Sept. 13, from 7-8 p.m. in the McShane Student Center, room 112.
Dean Catharine McGlade, the USG advisor from the Office for Student Involvement, mentioned progress on the upcoming Big 4 (CAB, USG, Commuting Students Association, Residence Halls Association) combined event. McGlade added that first-year formation enrollment is still open, a symposium designed to assist new students with the transition into life at Fordham. The first-year CORE programming is ongoing but has a reduced schedule. Additionally, the Office of Student Involvement will view new club constitutions more frequently to facilitate a faster review process.
Following McGlade’s overview, there was an open floor portion to discuss three distinct issues brought up to USG. The first issue regards the limited time period to add or drop classes before schedules become permanent, to which there was interest in a potential extension. Specifically discussed was the lack of meetings for Monday and Wednesday classes, as well as labs. However, a counterpoint brought up by Ortega suggested extending the period would be detrimental to STEM majors as those classes move at a quicker pace. A conclusion hasn’t been reached.
The second issue involves Ram Van ticket payment. Senator Ava Cascella, FCRH ’26, argued that the Ram Van ticketing website should have the option to save students’ payment methods for future use, as entering in payment information every time a student buys a ticket can be a hassle. Senator Carter Soderberg, GSB ’27, suggested that Fordham could find a way to allow for the use of dining dollars to pay for Ram Van tickets. There was a consensus that this issue needs further discussion.
The third issue regards the process of studying abroad. VP of FCRH Emma Blake, FCRH ’25, shared her experience and opinion on making Study Abroad communication more open. She discussed a subcommittee forming under the Dean’s Council, but also confusion among USG regarding a separate committee recently formed under Study Abroad. She clarified that they were different groups and specifically outlined what the USG sub-committee would be for aiding students in understanding how to study abroad, specifically finding classes to take abroad that still aid their requirements. USG will explore a sub-committee to further tackle this issue.
